Laparoscopic surgery, also referred to as minimally invasive surgery, is a technique that provides access to the abdomen or pelvic cavities through small incisions. In a typical laparoscopic surgery, a laparoscope is used. The laparoscope may be a telescopic rod lens system or a charge-coupled device (CCD) that is coupled with a camera. The abdominal or pelvic cavity is insufflated with a non-flammable gas (e.g., carbon dioxide) and illuminated with a light source using a fiber optic cable system. Due to the small size of the incisions, laparoscopic surgery minimizes post operative pain and speeds the recovery process.
Laparoscopic surgery techniques may be used in resection of the liver to remove portions of the liver. Traditionally, a laparoscopic liver resection surgery involves removal of the liver tumor with a surrounding margin of about half inch of normal liver tissue. The laparoscopic liver resection surgery may only be used for anomalies located on or near the surface since they can be removed without major risk of injury. Removal of tumors that are deeply located within the liver tissue involves higher risk of injury and uncontrolled bleeding from the blood vessels within the substance of the liver.